Fiber optic cables include one or more optical fibers or other optical waveguides that carry light, such as optical signals carrying voice, data, video, or other information. As compared to electrical conductors, most optical fibers are relatively delicate; many are made of glassy materials. Stressing an optical fiber to a critical level can lead to catastrophic failure, such as breakage. However, much lower levels of stress can interfere with light transmission. For example, lateral compression on an optical fiber can cause light to leak out of the core of the optical fiber, thereby attenuating intensity of transmitting optical pulses that convey information.
During and following installation, fiber optic cables are often subjected to diverse stresses, such as associated with being snaked through tight, convoluted paths, bent around sharp corners, pulled through conduit, and squeezed by heavy objects. Temperature fluctuations in the operating environment of the cable pose another source of stress. The various elements in the fiber optic cable typically expand and contract at different rates when temperature of the cable changes. For example, stress can occur as a result of shortening and lengthening of cable elements between winter and summer or day and night conditions or as a result of subjecting one section of the cable to heat and another section to cold.
While conventional fiber optic cables often include stress management elements, the optical fibers of such cables can still experience detrimental levels of stress if handled or deployed inappropriately. Many conventional cables are constructed utilizing engineering tradeoffs in which sensitivity to one type of stress is reduced at the expense of increasing sensitivity to another type of stress. For example, conventional approaches to increasing pull strength can introduce problematic thermal expansion and contraction stresses.
Accordingly, improved fiber optic cabling technology is needed to address such representative deficiencies in the art. Need is apparent for a fiber optic cable that can protect optical fibers. Need exists for a fiber optic cable that resists compression, such as due to laterally applied force. Need further exists for a fiber optic cable that compensates for thermal expansion. A capability addressing one or more of the aforementioned needs, or some related deficiency in the art, would promote robust fiber optic installments and would promote optical fibers for communications and other applications.